STE: Twelve Days 4
by ZenosParadox
Summary: RS, Tu. Reed and Sato encounter 10 LoRDs, 11 pipers and 12 DRUMmers while on a derelict space station with Tucker and Ensign Partridge. 3 of 3 chapters 4th of 4 episodes.
1. Ten Lords ALeaping

Title: Twelve Days 4  
  
Author: ZenosParadox  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Summary: RS, Tu. Reed and Sato experience 10 lords, 11 pipers and 12 drummers as they investigate a derelict space station with Tucker and Ensign Partridge. 3 of 3 chapters; 4th of 4 episodes.  
  
Disclaimer: The Enterprise characters belong to Paramount. This fiction was written solely for personal enjoyment.  
  
TWELVE DAYS 4  
  
TEN LORDS A-LEAPING  
  
January 4  
  
The sphere existed in the cold vacuum of space. A signal was intercepted and lights were suddenly activated. Motivation and purpose now hummed throughout the structure. Rather, it stuttered through the sphere with an au-au-au sound as the system prepared to meet its new charges. Once preparations were complete, they settled down to wait.   
  
~~~~~  
  
"What have you been up to, Malcolm? I thought you'd meet up with me in the gym like you normally do when the Cap'n gives us a morning off," said Tucker to Reed as they sat down to lunch. "Didn't feel like getting your ass kicked?"   
  
"Didn't want to embarrass you again, Commander. I've just been working on a personal project of mine," said Reed evasively. He had spent the morning working on his gift for a certain young lady and he knew his face was turning pink even with this admission.   
  
  
  
"Your personal project wouldn't have a Japanese name like Hoshi Sato, would it?" asked Tucker a bit too innocently.   
  
"Hoshi is not my anything," said Reed quietly. He didn't want to protest too much. On the other hand, there was nothing to protest about.  
  
"Uh-huh, that's why the Cap'n will be calling you for a little talk about fraternizing," said Tucker.   
  
Reed looked at Tucker sharply, "The Captain intends to lecture ME about professional behavior?"  
  
"He's really looking forward to it," said Tucker with a grin as he enjoyed the sense of payback his announcement brought.   
  
Reed simply shook his head and said, "Perfect, just perfect. What could possibly go wrong next?"  
  
"All senior officers report to the situation room for a mission briefing. Ensign Daniel Partridge, report to the Captain," called T'Pol's voice over the intercom.   
  
Reed and Tucker turned to look at each other in dismay and simultaneously said, "Gonzo!"  
  
-----  
  
The officers awaited the Captain as they stood in their usual positions in the situation room. Soon Captain Jonathan Archer exited his ready room with Ensign Partridge following behind him mouthing Wow as he looked around the bridge. The Captain had gone to retrieve a PADD from his chair with Partridge still dogging his heels. The officers watched as Archer tapped Partridge's shoulder before he sat in the Captain's chair.   
  
"Go stand by the Science Officer in the situation room." Archer's voice was firm.  
  
"Yes, sir," said Partridge as he hopped up the steps only to take a position where he was constantly hovering over T'Pol   
  
The Vulcan discreetly swung out her elbow to put some distance between herself and Partridge who was breathing down her neck. Tucker noted the maneuver and flashed a covertly raised fist at the Vulcan who appeared to nod slightly in acknowledgement.  
  
"Sub-commander, if you would fill in the team on the mission?" began Archer once he was standing in position.  
  
T'Pol pushed a button to activate the viewscreen. "The sphere you now see appears to be a derelict space station. I would expect a very sophisticated culture constructed it. Notice the infinity symbol they arranged with the exhaust manifolds."  
  
Sato cocked her head at an angle and murmured to Reed, "Looks like an eight-ball."  
  
Reed had to nod his agreement, but wondered if Sato was a pool shark in hiding. "As long as there's not a cue ball waiting to collide with it, we should be fine."  
  
"Vulcan ships have encountered it previously, but found no indication of activity. We, however, have detected some biosigns in the perimeter of the structure, but they all appear to be plant life. I believe it is a botanical bay. Minimal operations are intact and a breathable atmosphere has been maintained." T'Pol projected a series of incomplete schematics of the sphere.  
  
"The shielding prevents us from getting complete scans, so I'm sending an away team to investigate this space station. Who knows? Its builders might have descendents who'd like to know of its existence," Archer explained.  
  
"Sir, perhaps there was a reason it was abandoned," chimed in Reed. Although he knew everyone would consider this his usual paranoia, he had to try. There had been too many weird occurrences of late.  
  
"If so, I intend to find out. Trip, you'll lead the team with Malcolm, Hoshi and Ensign Partridge in Shuttlepod One. You'll explore the station today, then if you indicate it's safe, we'll send you back in the morning for an overnight survey."  
  
~~~~~  
  
The four Starfleet officers exited the shuttle and walked into the alien space station. The lighting was dim, but sufficient for movement. Tucker turned to the others, "T'Pol's best guess is that the command center is smack dab in the middle of the figure eight, so we'll head there first. Lieutenant, lead on."  
  
Reed led the team with Sato and Partridge behind him and Tucker bringing up the rear. Tucker was motivated by a desire to ensure Partridge didn't do anything to screw things up. Since he kept slapping the Ensign's hands away from any control panels, this was a tasking job.  
  
"This appears to be a variation of the Nanykeu language. It's pretty obscure, but there are some references to them in the Vulcan database." Reed and Sato had stopped at a panel.   
  
Sato made some adjustments to the UT and continued. "According to this, the command center is actually at the pole. The center of the figure eight is labeled as waste disposal."  
  
The team shifted direction and made their way to the command center by taking an elevator that carried them around the circumference of the station to the pole. Toward the core the team could see a vast array of pipes leading in all directions and in a variety of configurations.   
  
"I'd bet those pipes were used to maintain the water and nutrients to the hydroponics bay. Shoot, half of 'em are wide enough to walk through. I'm anxious to get a look at those schematics," said Tucker as he scanned the environment with his engineer's eyes.  
  
"Probably used steam to regulate temperature as well. Do you see the exhaust on that pipe?" Reed said as he pointed to a structure as they passed by.  
  
Sato looked away from the core as the lift took them past a lush, green bay along the perimeter. "Amazing. That looks like a piece of the Amazon jungle."  
  
"It can't be. It takes too much energy to produce tropical plants," assured Ensign Partridge. "Look, there's nothing showing up on the scans."  
  
Noticing the murderous look that appeared in the eyes of his colleagues, Tucker merely took Partridge by the shoulders and pointed him away from the core and in the direction Sato had been viewing.   
  
Partridge immediately changed his tune to, "Wow! Look at those plants! That's a tropical jungle. Cool."   
  
Once they arrived at the command center, Tucker turned to Partridge and ordered, "Ensign, point your bioscanner at that entrance and don't move a muscle. Got it?"  
  
Reed turned to Tucker to say, "I thought I was the paranoid one."  
  
"I'm just trying to keep Gonzo busy and outta trouble while we check this out. Hoshi, got anything?" The men walked to the panel where Sato was currently pressing buttons.   
  
"Yes, sir. This map shows the quickest route to their hydroponics controls. The wetlands were kept for five separate environments. They had tropics, orchard, vegetable, grain and flowers."  
  
"That's quite an operation, especially in the vegetable bay. I kinda feel like we're going into Mr. McGregor's garden," said Tucker with a wink.  
  
Reed shook his head. "Don't say that. I've had too many literary allusions showing up in my life lately. I'd hate to see you and Partridge end up like Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny."  
  
"Oh, cool. Stripped naked and whipped? I want to be Peter Rabbit," called Partridge as he overheard their comments.  
  
"I really didn't need to know that," said Tucker through gritted teeth.   
  
This evoked a look of sympathy from Reed. Perhaps he should simply stun the ensign just so that the rest of them could keep their sanity. Sato's voice prevented his making the offer to Tucker. Besides, the engineer had his own phase pistol.  
  
"Lieutenant, there's something here called Security Control." Sato was already using the UT to translate the panel.  
  
Reed approached but turned to Sato for her directions. She interpreted the controls; he made the decisions on which to activate. A small frown appeared on her face, then Sato offered, "This one says lock-down, that's the monitors, the last one is security status. None of them appear to be working except for the last."  
  
"Let's get a report, shall we?" asked Reed as he pressed the button. Characters began scrolling across the screen. Reed gave a perplexed look to Sato who immediately began adjusting the UT. They were soon able to understand the message. "...ten Logically Replete Drones secured..."  
  
Tucker exchanged a shrug with Reed. "Reckon we have a case of the Terminators on board? You know, killer android, glowing red eyes, 'I'll be back'?"  
  
"You watch too many science fiction movies, Commander," murmured Reed.  
  
"As long as it isn't some creepy alien dripping acid with hidden jaws and a rat's tail," said Sato with a shiver of disgust.  
  
The message continued before the men could say anything about how preposterous that sounded. "...Logically Replete Drones contained in cell five..."  
  
"Let's have a look at these drones," said Tucker. Reed traced a finger along the schematics and with a questioning look to Sato asked, "Cell block five? Let's go. Hell! Where's Partridge?"  
  
"Wow! Cool!" echoed down the corridor. Reed, Sato and Tucker took off in a sprint.  
  
The corridor had a series of doors with window panels. At cell block five, they pushed Partridge aside to take a quick peep inside thinking they would find a menacing presence.  
  
"They look like the toys I used to build when I was a kid," said Tucker as he viewed the inert mechanisms.   
  
"They seem pretty harmless," said Sato as she noted the resemblance of a smiley face on the units. Except for one unit in the middle with four-digit claws, the drones had arms that ended in a U-shape.   
  
"They seem fairly useless," said Reed as he observed the springs on the bottom of the drones. Did these robots move like slinkies?   
  
"They're cool!" said Partridge, followed by, "Oops!"  
  
The door slid open as Ensign Partridge's left elbow collided with a small red button. Sato, who had been leaning against the door, began to fall into the room. Reed quickly grabbed her at the waist to prevent a tumble, but her hand grazed against the claw of one of the robots while she regained her balance. "Ouch!"  
  
Tucker closed the door as Reed pulled Sato back and immediately inspected her hand. "Are you alright? How did you get hurt?"  
  
Sato had a sheepish expression as she shook her hand. "I'm fine, I just got poked in the hand. It was like getting a paper cut."   
  
Then they heard it. Boink-chink, boink-chink. The drones were moving by taking little jumps, generally into one of their neighbors. The Starfleet Officers watched as one did an entire flip.  
  
"The door opening must've activated the units. No sense in messing with 'em since they're safely locked up," said Tucker as he moved away from the observation window to grab Partridge's hand away from a panel on another door. Tucker gritted his teeth and said, "Stop that!"  
  
Reed's attention was still drawn to the robots. "One, two...five...seven...ten. They're all there. What was their name again?"  
  
"Logically Replete Drone. Why? Not again!" Sato shook her head.  
  
"Ten LoRDs a leaping? I think I'd have felt more comfortable if they slithered," sighed Reed. "There appears to be no threat especially if we keep their door closed. Still, there must be some reason they were placed in the brig."  
  
"Hoshi can download the security archives tomorrow. Let's check out the closest botanical bay to see whether we can interface with it," said Tucker. Sato and Reed took the lead with Tucker and Partridge behind them.   
  
Tucker gritted his teeth again when Partridge said, "Heheh, I dropped my scanner back there, Commander."  
  
"Retrieve it then get back to us on the double, Ensign," said Tucker without a trace of his Southern accent. At this rate the Chief Engineer would need to make use of Dr. Phlox's dental skills. His jaw tightened and he could almost feel TMJ asserting itself.  
  
Partridge loped back through the corridor and saw his scanner. He took one last peek into the LoRDs. The ensign waved at the robots through the observation window with his face pressed against the glass and one hand leaning against the panel.   
  
"Partridge, getta move on!" called Tucker.   
  
Sato and Reed were already in the lift, so her hearing failed to detect the whirring sound in the panel that held the robots safely in their cell or the au-au-au the drones began to emit.  
  
-----  
  
Back on Enterprise, Tucker provided a positive report for the space station. "Cap'n, the station has some interesting designs for hydroponics. I'd like to download the information. The drones we found are safely locked in a cell and shouldn't be a problem."  
  
"I'm still not sure about how harmless the LoRDs are, Captain," said Reed.  
  
"You're not gonna let some wind-up toys scare you?" Tucker taunted with a smile.  
  
Reed countered, "I'd feel better if we deactivated the units. Other than that, there appears to be no risk at the station."  
  
"Good. The team will leave tomorrow morning at 0800 so you can complete your surveys. Pack for an overnight stay. Enterprise will keep its rendezvous with the Vulcan ship in the meantime and will be back for Shuttlepod One in 30 hours. Will that be enough time?"  
  
Tucker looked to Sato, who nodded. In the background Ensign Partridge was saying, "Cool! Overnight, just the four of us? Wow!"  
  
Archer turned to Partridge saying, "Better start packing, Ensign. Dismissed."  
  
The remaining officers turned a pleading look to their Captain. Tucker began, "Cap'n, we can't take Ensign Gonzo."  
  
"T'Pol wants to make sure the Vulcans do NOT meet Ensign Partridge. They're doing a proficiency report of her department. Partridge would just be an embarrassment," explained Archer calmly.  
  
"I thought the entire crew was personally picked by you, Cap'n," said Tucker.  
  
"There are a few instances where I had to rely on the advice of others," responded Archer evasively, then he admitted, "Ensign Partridge is the stepson of Admiral Williams. The Admiral was very insistent that Partridge be shipped out on the next vessel leaving Jupiter Station and that was us. Look, just keep him busy and out of trouble. What harm could he do scanning vegetables?"   
  
His three officers crossed their arms over their chest and looked askance. The Captain merely shook his head and asserted, "That's an order. Now, Trip, if you'd let me speak to Hoshi and Malcolm alone? Thanks."  
  
-----  
  
"...so while I'm willing to accept the relationship, you two have to make sure you're being discreet in front of the rest of the crew."   
  
Archer thought it had gone well as he spoke to the wall between his officers' shoulders, but when he turned his gaze to their faces he noticed the dumbfounded expression on Reed and the mischievous look on Sato.   
  
Reed found his voice first and said, "But, sir, I haven't, I mean, we aren't--"  
  
"Now, Malcolm, there's no sense in denying it. We've all seen it coming. You certainly weren't sleeping in the room assigned to the men during our last mission. And we could see you rolling all over each other in the grass the other day. You two just have to learn to keep your hands off of each other while on duty, that's all I'm asking."   
  
"But that was the effects of the grass! Dr. Phlox--" Reed was insistent on trying to defend Sato's honor.  
  
"Told me all about the grass. Its effects become especially strong when the woman is with an appropriate stimulus. So, yes, I understand you two had a bit of help that day. That's why we're having this talk now. No necking in the corridors, no lunchtime trysts and no, uh, intimacy except within your quarters. Believe me, between Porthos and T'Pol, they can locate activity faster than it can be perpetrated. Dismissed."   
  
"But--"   
  
"Malcolm, it's all right," said Sato as she dragged Reed out of the Captain's ready room. She turned to Archer to say, "I'll just talk to Malcolm so he won't be confused by exactly what's acceptable, Captain,"   
  
As Reed followed Sato, he asked in a bewildered voice, "Did the Captain just accuse us of having an affair?"  
  
"No, he just told us to behave discreetly," said Sato. They arrived at her quarters and Reed merely followed her in.   
  
"But why should we be worried about being discreet unless he thinks we're involved with each other?" Reed turned to Sato in a desperate attempt to understand what had just happened. And why was she giving him that smile?   
  
"Captain Archer just wants us to avoid certain behaviors in public. Like this for example," said Sato. She then put her hands on either side of Reed's face and kissed him thoroughly. Reed was even more dazed when Sato released him.   
  
"Is there mistletoe around here?" Reed looked above him fully expecting a sprig to suddenly appear, although his hands remained firmly around her waist.   
  
Sato grabbed Reed's chin and kissed him again. He pulled away to say, "I'll call Dr. Phlox. There's obviously been some residual effect of the Masqueran loco weed."  
  
Reed's hand was almost at the comm link when he stopped and turned, "Wait. Did Trip put you up to this? Or was it Travis? I bet it was the both of th--"  
  
"Lieutenant Malcolm Reed! You are a complete brick. No, you're a concrete block, the densest blockhead on the starship Enterprise. Now kiss me," said Hoshi as she approached him with a smile.  
  
"You just called me a blockhead and you expect me to kiss you?" asked Malcolm, still not believing that she was operating under her own volition. Hoshi was in his arms and he was worried he'd wake up from one of his dreams.  
  
"I'm making accurate observations, so I deserve to be rewarded, " said Hoshi as she ran a finger along his jawline.   
  
Yes, that did make sense thought Malcolm as he bent to capture her mouth. He could drown in her kiss and it would be the sweetest death imaginable. After a long moment, Malcolm could only pull away far enough to put his forehead against Hoshi's. He was breathing heavily and looked into her flushed face. He found his courage and began to say, "Hoshi, I--"  
  
That's when she slumped into his arms. Odd. His kiss had never made a woman pass out before.  
  
-----  
  
"No sign of hypoglycemia, hypotension, or vestibular abnormalities," said Dr. Phlox in a cheery tone as Sato began to rouse from her stupor. Interesting. The Masqueran grass had really increased her endogenous estrogen levels. That accounted for the proceptive behavior Sato had experienced. The physician ended with, "Nor is she pregnant."  
  
"Not pregnant? What do you mean?" asked Reed.  
  
"Oh, have you been trying? I thought humans preferred a formal marriage ritual before procreational sex, but, Lieutenant, if there is a problem I'm sure I can help develop some therapy--"  
  
"I'm perfectly healthy, Doctor. Look, we have NOT been intimate, we've just slept together," said Reed as he helped a groggy Sato sit up.   
  
"I see," said Phlox in a tone that indicated he knew a human who needed a refresher course on sex education.   
  
Reed was now rubbing Sato gently on her back as he supported her with one arm. She blinked then asked, "What happened?"  
  
"There are no residual psychological effects of the Masqueran grass and nothing else is wrong that I can find. Now, if you'd like a complete scan, I can take you to medbay, Ensign. No? Then I would say it was just over excitement. I recommend you two engage in some quiet activity for a while," said Phlox as he left Sato's quarters.  
  
Malcolm was even more confused than when he first came in. Was her fainting when he kissed her a good thing or a bad thing? "Hoshi, in all my experience with women, I have never had one to faint dead away when I kissed her."  
  
"I don't faint. I just have a small memory gap. You were going to contact Phlox to check me out again--that's all I can remember." Hoshi suddenly looked at Malcolm. "Did you say you were kissing me?"  
  
"Ah, you don't remember that? Why don't I leave you to get some rest then? I'll see you tomorrow," said Malcolm and made his escape.   
  
Malcolm went back to his quarters and considered his present dilemma. Everyone thought he and Hoshi were having some passionate affair when she couldn't even remember kissing him. Perfect, just perfect.   
  
-----  
  
That night, Malcolm dreamed he was a prince who kissed his princess. Rather than wake up the beautiful maiden who had taken the form of Hoshi, the kiss put her into a long sleep. Two LoRDs suddenly appeared to carry the sleeping beauty away, but her body kept bouncing up and down as if on a trampoline as they bounded off carrying the litter. Malcolm kept trying to catch Hoshi, but the dream ended without success. Malcolm woke up with a firm decision to test the preposterous idea. He made up his mind to kiss Hoshi Sato just to satisfy himself that he didn't put her to sleep.  
  
***** 


	2. Eleven Pipers Piping

ELEVEN PIPERS PIPING  
  
January 5  
  
"We'll begin the download of information from the orchard bay first. Ensign Partridge, your job is to take detailed scans of all the plant life. Malcolm, once we get the download started, see about deactivating the drones if that'll make ya feel better," said Tucker as they found themselves again at the derelict space station.   
  
With the help of Sato and Reed, Tucker soon began the information download. They could hear Partridge emitting Wows with great frequency, but at least he was following instructions with regard to the scanning the orchard.  
  
Tucker soon turned to them to say, "That's all the help I need right now. Why don't you go see 'bout the wind-up toys. Download their schematics for me, will you? Take Hoshi so she can download a report on why the robots were locked away."  
  
-----  
  
Sato set about her work to download the archives from the security control station with her usual efficiency once they arrived at the command center.   
  
While she completed her assignment, Reed reviewed the schematics of the station. It never hurt to know more about a strange environment.   
  
"I think I have all the information we need. Your turn to have fun, Lieutenant." Sato rolled her shoulders as she completed her task.  
  
Reed led the way as they approached the cell that contained the LoRDs. It should have contained the LoRDs. "Where are they?"  
  
Sato looked into the cell through the observation window, "Not a one in sight. How did they get out?"  
  
The officers entered the brig and inspected the walls for another exit. The three walls each had four panels, but they appeared to be decorations. Reed and Sato inspected the door panel again.   
  
"There's a lever down here, Ensign. What does the label say?" asked Reed as he knelt to inspect a black handle that protruded from the door.   
  
"Drone retrieval. Maybe it's a surveillance system?" offered Sato as she noticed a veiewscreen above the lever.   
  
Reed pressed the lever with his foot but nothing happened. "Not working. We'll have to do our best using our scanners. Come on, we'll contact the Commander while we try to find the renegade LoRDs."  
  
-----  
  
Reed and Sato spent the better part of the morning trying to track down the drones with no luck. They would find the signs indicating their presence, but the LoRDs were nowhere to be seen once the officers arrived at the coordinates. Reed sighed before he contacted Tucker, "Commander, we have been unable to find the LoRDs."  
  
"Well, they seemed harmless enough. Why don't you meet us at the vegetable bay? We'll eat some lunch, start the next download, then you can run off and play hide-n-seek with the little fellas you're chasing."  
  
"We'll meet you there. Reed out." The Lieutenant closed his communicator. "Lead us to the McGregor's garden, Ensign."  
  
"Don't look so glum. Chef sent a pineapple cobbler in the rations," said Sato as she pushed the button on the lift.   
  
"With my luck Partridge will eat it before I even see it," murmured Reed.  
  
"You could always plead justifiable homicide," suggested Sato.  
  
They met Tucker and Partridge to find the Commander sitting on top of the case containing their meals for the day. Reed smiled as he realized his pineapple cobbler was safe from the ravages of the Gonzo Ensign. Tucker was a true friend.  
  
"Okay, NOW we can eat," said Tucker as the opened the case. His friends didn't even have to ask.  
  
Reed and Sato updated the Commander on their futile search. Tucker thought for a moment before speaking, "They might be hiding out near the core around all those pipes."  
  
"Some of the platforms at the core are thirty meters apart," noted Sato with a slight shudder.   
  
"I don't intend to put us in danger just to deactivate the drones," Reed assured.  
  
"It'd be nice if you had some magnets in case you go out onto the piping, but I don't think it's worth suiting up in the EVs to catch the drones." Tucker noticed that Partridge hadn't chimed in with comments. Luckily the ensign was too busy eating.  
  
"I brought the magnetic soles that I had sketched out for you. You were right about changing the configuration for the activation controls. They can fit onto our boots and we have the magnetic handholds that are portable. I'll head back to the shuttle to retrieve them before we start our little hunt again."   
  
"Fine. Hoshi can help me get started with the next download. She'll be ready to go with you by the time you get back."  
  
-----  
  
Reed and Sato continued their search for the renegade drones, but this time each wore soles that could be magnetized and Reed carried a small utility backpack.   
  
As Sato attached the magnets to her boots, she asked, "Please don't tell me we activate these by clicking our heels twice?"  
  
Reed smiled. The soles were red in color, so he could understand her comment. "You can push the buttons with your hand or tap them with your toe."  
  
They left the vegetable bay to retrace their steps to the area where they had last thought to find the drones. This time they didn't need to use their scanners. They soon heard the first indication of the LoRDs: au-au-au. Boink-chink, boink-chink.   
  
The officers rushed forward to find two robots that appeared to be in a shoving match. They watched the two units bouncing around like popcorn while the drones tried to push the other out of the way. Today they could be heard saying, "We protect you...from the terror of space."  
  
"I think I preferred them when they weren't talking," said Sato as she gave a sideward glance to Reed.   
  
The Lieutenant nodded his agreement as he took out his weapon. "Use your phase pistol. The energy burst should be sufficient to disrupt their activity. I'll aim for the blue one and you target the red one."  
  
The two officers fired and hit their target, but even as the two drones shut down, they heard a boink-chink as two more LoRDs jumped to the floor behind them from an upper deck. A red LoRD shoved Sato while a blue one pushed Reed toward the same area. "au-au-au...We protect you ...from the terror of space..."  
  
"They have an odd definition of protecting!" shouted Reed as the drones grabbed their arms and pushed them onto a square platform. The LoRDs released them just before a trapdoor opened beneath Reed then Sato. They began falling toward the next deck that was thirty meters below them.  
  
Reed activated the magnets on the soles of his boots as he started to fall and did a graceful flip toward a metal grating he had spotted below the trap door. The magnetic boots attached firmly to the edge of the metal grating so that Reed was able to make a hasty grab of Sato's arm as she came spilling down after him, but her weight was enough to pull him around the edge and under the grating. Reed could only be grateful that he had heeded Tucker's advice on the strength of the magnets.  
  
They hung like circus performers with Reed hanging upside down attached by his boots while his hands were clenched around Sato's arms. Sato looked up into Reed's eyes in gratitude that the man had such strong arms.  
  
Reed called, "Try to control your body. Use your toe to kick on the activator for the magnets. Then I'm going to swing you onto the netting. Ready? One, two, three!"  
  
Sato swung onto the grating. She looked down to see Reed still hanging upside down, but smiling up at her. She couldn't resist saying, "Quit hanging around and see about getting us out of here."  
  
"I was rather enjoying the view," began Reed, "but if you insist." The Lieutenant walked to the edge of the grating and swung up with an efficient flip.  
  
"Something tells me you were into gymnastics in your youth," observed Sato as Reed stood up. Reed's muscular arms made it easy to picture him on the pommel horse or on the rings. His height would be perfect for the sport.   
  
Reed smiled bashfully, then decided he might as well confirm her observation. "I made the Olympic team when I was sixteen, but then I broke my ankle in a freak accident and couldn't compete."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up--"  
  
"No, it's fine. I still enjoy the workouts. They help me with an occasional problem I have with equilibrium," confessed Reed. Sato nodded, but asked no more questions.   
  
Reed thought a moment about all the broken dreams that littered his life. He looked at Sato's profile and resolved that one dream would become reality.  
  
-----  
  
They began walking slowly on the netting. It was actually a grate that had detached from the opening of the large conduit that hung horizontally across the space. The stranded officers scanned their present environment. They were between decks in a utility area surrounded by tubes of all sizes and orientations.   
  
"That's got to be a drop of thirty meters." Sato walked to the edge hastily to look down. Her movements had sent a wave of motion across the grating. Reed was no longer smiling.  
  
"Keep still a minute, please," said Reed as he closed his eyes for a moment. Damn motion sickness! This was not the time for his vestibular system to be misfiring.   
  
Sato settled her breathing and stood as still as possible. "Motion sickness?"   
  
"Not too bad or you'd see me losing my pineapple cobbler. I'm fine as long as I can predict the motion. It's the unexpected waves that throw me off."  
  
She saw Reed open his eyes after a minute and scan their view before opening his communicator. "Commander, we tracked down two of the LoRDs, but then got ambushed by another set. They pushed us through a trap door that would have plummeted us to the next deck. Recommend that you and Ensign Partridge use extreme caution. The stun setting of the phase pistols is effective in deactivating them."  
  
"I'm loading my phase pistol now. Are the two of you okay?" came Tucker's voice.  
  
"A grate caught our fall, but we're still in the maintenance core. I think we can make our way out through the system of pipes. I'd feel better if we all rendezvoused at the shuttlepod," said Reed.  
  
"I'll see what I can do to speed up the download. See you back at the shuttlepod. Keep me updated on your status," said Tucker.  
  
Reed shut the communicator. Suddenly, the pipe started resonating. "Lieutenant, there has to be some air flow getting through the pipe to make it resonate like that. It could lead to an exit."  
  
"Or into a fan blade. That always happens in the movies," muttered Reed as he inspected the size of the opening. The frequency it hummed was rather low.  
  
"You've been spending too much time with Trip at the movies," said Sato as she approached him.  
  
"I'm willing to look to other diversions, Ensign," said Reed before he entered.  
  
Sato looked around for a moment. Did he just make a pass at her? She felt his hand grabbing her arm before she could think about this further.  
  
-----  
  
Luckily this tube was wide enough for the two officers to make their way through in a low crouch. Reed pulled out a small flashlight from the backpack that provided sufficient illumination for the officers, but the Lieutenant still asked, "Are you having any trouble?"  
  
"No, I've been in tighter spaces than this. Eight days in the catwalk did wonders for my claustrophobia. I'm doing fine," assured Sato and saw Reed nod.   
  
After traveling thirty minutes while the pipe hummed its melancholy notes, they could see the end of the tube. The officers stopped and Sato tried to contact Tucker as Reed walked to the end of the tube. "There's something blocking the signal, Lieutenant."  
  
Reed groaned, then pivoted quickly. "Don't look."  
  
Sato shoved him out of the way and saw their dilemma. Below them stood a tall cylinder. Extending from the main pipe were a series of smaller pipes emerging from it that created a spiral down the length. Sato counted eight extensions that emerged every four meters with slightly different widths and at different lengths. This resulted in different frequencies being emitted from each of the extending pipes.   
  
Finally, a corrugated pipe lay below the main tube. This last one was curled into a shape reminiscent to the lower loop on a cursive L and had a lower tone similar to the larger pipe of the main structure.  
  
"How many pipes do you count?" asked Reed as he came beside Sato.  
  
"Does it go to eleven?" asked Sato.  
  
"Perhaps Nigel was here--never mind. I don't suppose you've ever heard of Spinal Tap?" murmured Reed. "There are eight extensions and the three bigger pipes. This one, the main vertical tube and the coiled one below it."  
  
"Eleven pipers piping. At least we only have one more day of this," said Sato.  
  
They heard the LoRDs begin to move again. Boink-chink, boink-chink, au-au-au.  
  
"We better stay put for the meantime," whispered Reed as he leaned back against the curve of the tube they were in. Sato moved beside him so that their shoulders were touching. Reed felt her warm body next to him and realized how much he had missed her presence while he slept. Sato then leaned closer to provide more contact. Perhaps she had missed him as well.   
  
They had been quietly breathing for several minutes when Sato whispered, "It's funny how easy it is to match breaths with you."  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Reed.  
  
"Just now, our breathing was in rhythm. I noticed it when we were sleeping together. It was easy to fall asleep with you beside me because our breathing would synchronize."   
  
Sato turned her face away almost shyly. Why was it that she could kiss him and even sleep with him, but when it came to trying to tell him how she really felt, she sounded preposterous? Then Hoshi felt Malcolm touch her chin and turn her face toward him.   
  
Both of them quit breathing as Malcolm moved closer. His lips met hers and she melted into his arms--and once again slumped into unconsciousness.   
  
Bloody hell! What was so wonderful about your kisses making a woman swoon? Those Victorians had some odd ideas about romance. He couldn't even blame it on a tight corset.  
  
Reed put Sato into a sitting position with her head between her knees and she soon came out of her faint. "Hoshi, that's it, look at me. Are you alright? Do you remember anything?"  
  
"Malcolm? I--I--have we waited long enough? I'm sorry, I must have fallen asleep. That's not very professional, is it? I'm fine, ready to go, don't worry," assured Sato as she brought herself up. She noticed a perplexed expression on Reed's face, but he quickly masked it for his usual professional demeanor.  
  
"Unless you can hear something I don't, the LoRDs appear to have moved on. Let's go."  
  
-----  
  
Reed leapt onto the brim of the vertical tube that held the spiral staircase of pipes they would need to use to get safely to the next deck. The brim was a meter wide, but Reed still offered a hand to Sato as she made her landing. "Don't look down."  
  
"No problem. I haven't opened my eyes yet," assured Sato. Steady breaths. Malcolm is right beside you. In fact, he's keeping his arm around your waist. Damn those LoRDs for ruining a perfect opportunity to snuggle. The Ensign finally opened her eyes and asked, "Okay, what next?"  
  
"Simple. We walk around the brim to get to the first step of the spiral. I brought some magnetic handholds for just such an emergency. We need to stay in a vertical orientation as much as possible since we do have gravity. We shouldn't simply try to climb down the smooth side of the pipe, especially not with the way you've been fainting or my getting motion sickness," said Reed.  
  
"What do you mean, fainting? I never faint," insisted Sato.  
  
"Just take my word for it and I'll explain later, but I want you to hold my hand," responded Reed.   
  
Holding hands? That was a step in the right direction. "Yes, sir, Lieutenant."  
  
Suddenly they heard the whir of a ventilation fan and the air as it blew through the pipes. It was more like a pipe organ than a calliope. The eerie music filled the chamber. Reed noticed Sato shiver and put his arm around her shoulder for a moment. "If we meet Captain Nemo, I'll know this is just a dream. Until then, it's time to proceed."  
  
The Lieutenant felt the Ensign's hand in his and carefully walked along the brim to the area of their first descent. Reed opened the backpack and gave Sato a set of magnetic pads and showed her how to activate them. With a nod to Reed, Sato prepared for the first level.  
  
-----  
  
"Let's take it one pipe at a time. I'll go first," said Reed as he swung over the brim. Sato watched him make his way easily down to the first pipe. He soon called up, "Your turn, Ensign."  
  
Reed stood on the pipe watching Sato's descent when he noticed a rumbling within the pipe where he stood. He became immediately agitated when he heard the au-au-au sound that signified the presence of the LoRDs. "Hoshi! We need to hurry off this pipe!"  
  
Just as Sato made it onto the tube, two LoRDs began bounding toward them on the pipe where they were standing looking more like children happily greeting parents. "We protect you...from the terror of space."  
  
The officers still had their hands occupied by the magnetic handholds. Reed freed his hand to access his phase pistol by sticking the magnets to each other and moved forward to take his shots, but the LoRDs jumped over him to move to Sato.  
  
Reed tried in vain to acquire his target but the LoRDs and Sato were doing a strange sort of tango that made it difficult to target the drones while missing the Ensign. This time she was doing a good job of evading the arms of the robots.   
  
Reed managed to approach one drone from the rear and quickly tangled the arms together. He shoved the drone into its partner which was being pushed by Sato. The LoRDs fell to the platform below emitting a constant stream of au-au-au. This was followed by a satisfactory crashing sound as the impact destroyed the mechanisms.  
  
"Glad that wasn't us," said Sato as she tried to catch her breath.  
  
Reed's breathing wasn't much better. "At least their springs weren't magnetized. We can't afford to waste any time. Let's get to the next level."  
  
-----  
  
They made it down two more pipes without mishap and began to feel confident. Then as they were making their way to the fourth pipe, they heard them: au-au-au.  
  
"I'm beginning to hate that sound," said Sato through gritted teeth. They had decided to move down the pipe together.   
  
Reed looked down, then to Sato. "They're waiting for us this time."  
  
"Any ideas?" asked Sato. They wouldn't be able to get out their phase pistols.   
  
"Don't touch them with your hands or they'll stick to your magnets. Turn off the magnets on your boot so you can drop and roll into their springs. That's likely to throw them off balance. And pray that they haven't magnetized their bodies."  
  
"Great. Always wanted to be a bowling ball," said Sato.  
  
The officers surprised the LoRDs with their immediate drop to the pipe. Reed was able to deliver an actual kick to one unit while Sato's roll managed to trip the other one. Au-au-au...all the way down.  
  
"This is beginning to feel like one of Travis' video games," said Sato as she caught her breath.  
  
Reed nodded. "I know the one you mean. Warbots. Come on, we're halfway there."  
  
-----   
  
They traveled to three more pipes without incident. Reed and Sato stopped to rest on the seventh pipe. This one was broad on the end that attached to the main vertical pipe, but quickly narrowed as it extended horizontally into the open space of the core.   
  
"Almost there, Ensign," said Reed as he leaned against the vertical pipe.   
  
Sato nodded, but frowned as she looked around. "I wonder why this pipe narrows? It does interesting things to the frequency it emits."  
  
The Ensign walked out onto the pipe carefully. She had no intention of testing the tube's flexibility, but she was curious about its purpose. Sato didn't have a chance to think further on the question as she heard not only the au-au-au, but the resonance of the pipes above them changing. Two LoRDs were bouncing down the spiral they had used to make their escape and making short work of the distance.   
  
The LoRDs moved quickly and Reed put out his hands reflexively as one bounced directly toward him. The LoRD's arms stuck onto his magnets. In the meantime, Sato moved further out on the pipe and began flexing her legs on the narrow end.   
  
Reed watched as the LoRD that was after Sato began bouncing erratically and finally fell off. A wave of nausea hit him as the resonance was carried down the pipe. The LoRD's arms were still attached to Reed's hand magnets, so the Lieutenant swung the drone over the side of the pipe and deactivated the magnets. The drone tumbled to the platform, but sprang up again as had its partner.   
  
Reed took out his phase pistol and stunned the units. They deactivated immediately, so Reed felt comfortable in closing his eyes as he regained his own equilibrium. Sato was moving toward him slowly in an attempt to diminish the waves of motion transmitted down the pipe.  
  
"What's our body count?" asked Sato when she reached the Armory Officer. He had his eyes opened now, but she pressed gently into him as he stood against the pipe. She could hear his voice in her hear as he responded.  
  
"Eight. We've deactivated eight of the units, so at least two are still out there. Who knows? There may be more than the ones we found in the brig." Reed closed his eyes again, but not because of nausea.   
  
Malcolm could smell the light fragrance of Hoshi's shampoo and feel her reassuring warmth as she leaned against him. Perfect cure for motion sickness. He could just hear his conversation with Phlox now: therapeutic contact; touch, the new miracle drug for motion sickness; Hoshi Sato, highly addictive. He smiled at his thoughts, but she couldn't see it.  
  
"Last pipe and from there we can make our way to the deck. Ready?"  
  
-----  
  
Reed and Sato stood on the last pipe that was much shorter than the others. Instead of overhanging the platform below, it was just short of the mark. Reed observed, "We'll need to walk to the edge of this pipe to reach the deck. I've got some rope in the backpack we can use. It might be best if we anchor it on the inner circumference of the tube. That would give us an extra two meters. Let's put away the magnetic hands."  
  
Sato gave her units to Reed then walked to the edge of the tube with him. "You first."  
  
Reed gave a slight shrug, deactivated the magnets on his boots, then did a graceful hand handspring on the rim. Sato knelt to look over the edge to witness the Lieutenant complete an expert dismount into the tube. He called up, "Your turn. I'll help steady your descent."   
  
Sato knew her maneuvers wouldn't be as graceful, but she deactivated her own boots. She then lay on the tube and turned with her legs dangling below her as they searched for the inner wall of the tube. She felt Reed catch her waist and released her hold of the rim, trusting his arm strength to hold her steady.  
  
Hoshi slid slowly down Malcolm's body and was not able to prevent her arms from coming around his neck. She noticed he had not moved his hands from her waist, either, although he had turned her away from the opening of the tube. Then they heard it, not the au-au-au of a drone, but the slow, squeaky turning of the pipe itself. The pipe had begun to roll in its joint sending the two officers tumbling in the manner of clothes in a dryer.  
  
Perfect, thought Reed as he desperately tried to hang onto Sato. Between her claustrophobia and his motion sickness, the situation couldn't get much worse. So of course, it did. A LoRD could be heard approaching the tube as it bounced along the platform: boink-chink, au-au-au, "We protect you...from the terror of space."  
  
The LoRD jumped into the tube with the officers, but began to tumble madly on its own as the pipe continued to roll. Reed managed to draw his weapon and took aim. While the shot itself missed given the spin all occupants were experiencing, it did ricochet to deactivate the LoRD which conveniently tumbled out of the pipe. Before Reed could sigh in relief, he heard Sato's scream as she tumbled out of the emergent tube and down the main shaft.   
  
"Hoshi!"  
  
-----   
  
Reed had little time to commiserate on Sato's fate as the pipe he was in began to tilt to send him downward as well. He felt himself bouncing down the corrugated pipe that emerged from the bottom of the main vertical tube. He soon felt himself caught around the waist by a familiar pair of legs.   
  
"Hoshi?" Brilliant question, Reed thought. He pulled out his flashlight to find Sato clutching at a handhold she had on the pipe. Her eyes were squeezed shut, then he noticed how tightly she was holding him.  
  
"Ensign, while I appreciate the strength of your leg muscles, I really need to breathe," said Reed. Sato immediately loosened her grip on his waist. Reed inhaled deeply. "I've got a handhold now. You can let me go."  
  
Sato merely shook her head. Reed moved closer to Sato. He practically whispered into her ear. "Remember how this tube had a twist in it? We're near the bottom of the vertical drop. There's only a one meter drop below me. Look for yourself."  
  
Sato opened one eye to look down, but still did not release Reed. "Okay. I see it."  
  
"Good. Now if you release me, we can make our way down then start the climb back up. This pipe twists in a loop. I think we should wind up just under the deck we were trying to get to." Reed spoke softly. He could hear Sato's heart beating rapidly. "I'll stay right by your side, Ensign."  
  
"Always?" asked Hoshi. She could count on Malcolm to keep his word. He was steadfast and had never broken his word to her.  
  
"I promise." Malcolm felt Hoshi relax her hold on him.   
  
They made a quick descent to the bottom of the twist, then came to a relatively level section. The corrugation made walking difficult. Instead the officers wound up stepping from ridge to ridge.   
  
Sato had taken Reed's hand when he offered it. She thought about informing Phlox about her new discovery: a cure for claustrophobia. All that's needed is one steadfast Armory Officer and, voila, the only thing you notice is his presence by your side.   
  
"Shouldn't we activate our boots again?" asked Sato as they skimmed across the pipe.   
  
"No, this is aluminum," came the response. "Here's our climb up. Let's sit and rest a minute before we go on. I have some water in the backpack," said Reed as he pulled Sato down to sit beside him and handed her the flashlight. He shrugged out of the backpack and retrieved a bottle that he handed to Sato.  
  
The Ensign sat with her back against the Lieutenant and took a long drink while she held the flashlight between her knees. Reed could hear her unzip her uniform and her hand patting her skin. It was warm in the tube and while the ventilation made the pipe resonate occasionally, the air was rather stuffy. He unbuttoned his own shirt and took the water bottle when Sato offered it to him. After he drank, he poured some water into his cupped hand and splashed it on his hair.  
  
Sato felt his movements, so she turned with the flashlight and laughed.   
  
"What's so funny," asked Reed, mocking an offended tone. He knew exactly what her source of humor was.  
  
"Your hair, it's standing in all directions," said Sato. "Here, let me help you with that."  
  
Hoshi shifted the flashlight to her left hand so she could pat down Malcolm's hair with her right hand. When she finished, her fingers trailed down his cheek. Hoshi felt Malcolm capture her hand in his. Her lips were just inches away. He moved forward to complete the kiss.  
  
She won't pass out, she won't pass out, she--damn, she did it again!  
  
"You passed out," explained Reed when she regained consciousness.  
  
"What? It must be the heat. I'm sorry, Lieutenant." Sato was glad that the low illumination prevented Reed seeing her blushing. "I'm ready to go now."  
  
"Right. Let's begin the climb," said Reed as he offered his hand to Sato.   
  
-----  
  
"So you've deactivated nine of the LoRDs. That means there's one still out there," said Tucker as they rendezvoused in Shuttlepod One.   
  
"Hey, Commander, when can I get up?" asked Ensign Partridge. He was on all fours in the back of the shuttle and appeared to be patting every inch of the floor.  
  
Tucker called back, "When you find that datacard I dropped back there. Just keep looking."  
  
The engineer then answered the question in the Lieutenant's eyes by opening his hand to reveal the "missing" data card. Reed was impressed at Tucker's resourcefulness and returned Tucker's grin with a smile before continuing his report.  
  
"I hope that's the only drone left. We climbed out of the corrugated pipe and onto the deck without any more trouble. We didn't encounter any sign of the last LoRD on our way to the lift," confirmed Reed.  
  
"I'm worried about your inability to contact Enterprise. It looks like something is jamming the signal here at the station," said Sato after assessing the communication system on the shuttle. She put her hands on her forehead. What next?  
  
"In spite of your adventure, the rest of the station was real quiet. I've activated alarms around the shuttle. I'd say we eat and get a little bit of sleep. Enterprise will be back for us in eighteen hours."  
  
Tucker waited for the acknowledgement from Reed and Sato, then called to Partridge, "Dang, lookee here. The datacard was in my pocket all along. Let's eat, Ensign."  
  
-----   
  
That night Malcolm couldn't sleep. Partridge was in the deep slumber of the witless punctuated by stentorian snores as he lay on one of the chairs that had been extended into a recliner. The three senior officers fled to the far end of the shuttlepod and sat huddled with Malcolm and Trip flanking Hoshi.   
  
Malcolm would have suggested earplugs, but that would have dampened registering the alarms if they sounded. Then he heard Trip singing softly and found the engineer's voice soothing. Hoshi leaned into Malcolm, so he put his arm around her and let his head roll against hers.   
  
Soon Malcolm was asleep and dreaming he was speaking with Dr. Phlox about the wonders of a new therapy: Hoshi Sato. In his dream Dr. Phlox merely nodded sagely at his discovery. Hoshi Sato was obviously the cure for all things that ailed Lieutenant Reed. Malcolm woke up with a crick in his neck, but with the warm bundle of Hoshi Sato in his arms.   
  
***** 


	3. Twelve Drummers Drumming

TWELVE DRUMMERS DRUMMING  
  
January 6   
  
Ensign Sato had the pleasure of kicking Partridge out of bed so that she could access the computer on the shuttlepod. She had eaten breakfast with Reed and Tucker after they came to the mutual decision that sleeping dogs--or annoying ensigns--should be left undisturbed.   
  
Sato skimmed through the security archives of the derelict station, then read the relevant section aloud to the others while the three officers made a pointed effort to ignore Partridge as he sat in the back eating his breakfast while maintaining a running commentary on all plant life.   
  
Reed and Tucker hovered behind Sato as she read the report. "...Twenty-two drones have malfunctioned as a result of overactive logic circuits. The interpretation of protecting the personnel at the station has been, uh, perverted. To prevent a death in the vacuum of space, the drones have begun to eliminate us on the station. The alpha drone has developed a nanoreceiver that it inserts into its victim. The tagged individual loses consciousness when a signal is transmitted so that the drones can--remove them..."  
  
"Wait. The alpha drone could be the LoRD with the claws for extensions. Did you notice that when we first found them?" asked Reed.   
  
"Yeah, you're right. It also had a larger power pack on its trunk," said Tucker.  
  
Sato was rubbing the palm of her right hand. "It poked me with its claw. Do you think--"  
  
"Of course! That's why you've been fainting every time I kiss you! Uh, I mean every time I CATCH you." Reed then registered the grin on Tucker's face and the surprised expression on Sato.   
  
The Armory Officer tried to regain his professional demeanor before he further embarrassed himself. "That explains why the LoRDs spent their time going after us rather than Trip or Partridge. You need to finish the report, Ensign. Go on."  
  
Sato gave Reed one of those Later looks and continued, "Of the fifty-four, only twelve of us are left. We have been unable to deactivate the units, but have designated them as Logically Replete Drones..."  
  
"Never thought too much logic could be deadly. Wonder what T'Pol would make of it?" remarked Tucker. Reed nodded, but both officers were anxious for Sato to continue.  
  
"We are now down to seven. The Central Authority has shipped us Drone Retrieval Unit Marshals to deal with the Logically Replete Drones. We are leaving on the transport ship that brings them. The station will be declared uninhabitable until the Marshals complete their work..."  
  
"I don't like the sound of that," began Reed. "Apparently these Marshals that were sent were able to capture ten of the LoRDs, but there's no mention of what happened to the other twelve. I assume the Marshals have left, but with the station remaining abandoned, I wonder if they failed to get all of the LoRDs."   
  
Reed didn't like their present situation. No communications with Enterprise, mad robots trying to protect them, alien Marshals that could or could not be at the station. It was a security officer's nightmare.  
  
"Well, y'all were effective in eliminating the drones yesterday. Seems like they're not as efficient as they used to be. We'll focus on downloading information in the grain fields. I assume you wouldn't let us near the tropical zone now, Lieutenant?" asked Tucker.  
  
"No, the grain fields will be the easiest place to spot an intruder. Can you adjust the scanner to see if the transmitter is in Hoshi's hand?" asked Reed.   
  
Tucker shrugged, but soon gave a whistle as he scanned Sato's palm. "What? WHAT!"  
  
"Sorry, Hoshi, but that's a beautifully designed receiver. I wanna take a look at it after Phlox removes it. Here, gimme your communicator so that I can set it to emit a jamming signal." Tucker quickly made his adjustments and tossed the communicator back to Sato who zipped it into her pocket.   
  
"Hoshi and I can watch your back while you get the download and Partridge does his scans." Reed looked to Sato who nodded. Her proficiency rating with the phase pistol was actually just slightly higher than Tucker's, so she was the logical choice for the sentry duty now that she was unlikely to pass out. Of course, he'd also avoid kissing her.  
  
"Let's move out. Partridge! Good lord, man, don't walk around naked! I don't care if ya need to air out; don't do it on my watch. Geez!"   
  
Tucker swore he would make Captain if only to prevent a ship's contingent from having to suffer someone like Partridge as a crewmate. The three senior officers decided to wait outside while the ensign finished dressing.  
  
-----  
  
The away team headed to the grain fields cautiously. Once there Reed and Sato stood near the entrance with phase pistols in hand. Tucker was able to begin his download before they heard the sound: pa-rum-pa-pum-pum.  
  
Reed and Sato looked at each other in disbelief. "That sounds like drummers."  
  
Reed nodded, then punched the button to seal off the entrance. Looking through the glass they saw another set of drones coming to them. The drumming sound occurred when their forearms beat against their upper torso as they moved: pa-rum-pa-pum-pum.  
  
"Twelve?" asked Sato as she quickly counted.  
  
"Twelve," confirmed Reed.   
  
The units stopped outside of the grain bay. Tucker and Partridge moved beside Reed and stared at their new neighbors threw the glass panel. The drumming stopped and a synthetic voice began to speak.   
  
"We are Drone Retrieval Unit Marshals. By the command of the Central Authority, we are authorized to retrieve all Logically Replete Drones on this station."  
  
"We don't have any Logically Replete Drones with us," called Tucker.   
  
The DRUMers blinked at this comment. "If you assist the Logically Replete Drone in evading capture, we are authorized to terminate you. Cooperation is imperative."  
  
"I told you, we don't have any Logically Replete Drones here. My people destroyed nine of them yesterday," insisted Tucker.  
  
The DRUMers blinked again. "You have a Logically Replete Drone twenty centimeters behind this door."  
  
-----  
  
Reed immediately turned to confirm the assertion of the DRUMers. The alpha LoRD was just inches away from Sato. Reed fired his phase pistol but the LoRD was unaffected. It went directly for Sato with its claws. Reed then tried to pry the claw off of Sato, but was gripped by the other metal claw and hauled toward a conduit that fed the grain bay as the LoRD bounded away. The two officers looked like rag dolls being held by the neck.  
  
-----  
  
Tucker set his phase pistol to Kill, but worried about the effects the discharge would have on Reed and Sato. Instead he picked up a large pipe from the floor and began beating the LoRD with it, but his movements were impaired by Partridge who was using Tucker as a shield and hanging on to the Commander's shoulders.   
  
The claws of the LoRD became tightened on the officers' throats as it ignored the hammering it was receiving from Tucker. Malcolm turned to Hoshi determined to at least tell her what she meant to him before he left this life. His voice was strained as he tried to say, "Hoshi, I--"  
  
His phrase ended with a strangled sound. Hoshi was feeling light headed as she watched Malcolm's face began to turn blue. She heard her own voice as a harsh whisper, "Malcolm?"  
  
Tucker was tempted to swing back just to shake off Partridge, but settled for saying, "Let go of me, I'm trying to bash the LoRD in."  
  
Partridge removed his hands. Then he saw it. Wow! It looked just like a--  
  
Just before Sato lost consciousness, the claws suddenly relaxed and the LoRD shut down. Reed and Sato slumped to the floor as they tried to regain their breath.   
  
Tucker stopped in mid-throttle as he looked from his friends to Partridge who was holding a small control panel he had detached from the LoRD.  
  
"Cool! It looks just like my old video game--uh oh, I shouldn't have pulled it off like that, huh?" said Partridge. He mistook the look of disbelief on Tucker's face for one of censure. Partridge immediately corrected his error and pushed the panel back onto the LoRD who immediately began to menace Sato and Reed again.  
  
"NO! You ignoramus! You did something right! Gimme that!" exclaimed Tucker.  
  
The engineer dropped the pipe with a clang and shoved Partridge out of the way. Tucker pulled the panel off of the LoRD and the drone shut down immediately. Tucker held the panel in his hand and appeared on the verge of smashing Partridge on the head with it, but then shifted his target and sent it bashing against the wall.  
  
"Where were ya when they were passing out brains?" asked Tucker in disgust as he bent to attend to Reed and Sato.   
  
"Is that a trick question, sir?" responded Partridge.  
  
"I'm fine, Trip," whispered Hoshi in a raspy voice as she turned to Reed. His color was slowly returning. She wiped the hair from his forehead as Trip propped him up. "Is Malcolm okay?"  
  
Trip saw Malcolm's eyes fluttering. "Yeah, I think we got lucky again."   
  
Trip patted Hoshi's shoulder, then noticed the drumming coming outside the door. "I've gotta see about the Marshals, Hoshi. Partridge! You stay right here by Malcolm and check his pulse. No, don't squeeze the circulation to his neck off. That's his problem in the first place. Here, just, just sit in that corner and scan the grain."  
  
Tucker moved to the door and shouted to the Marshals. "We've deactivated the drone you're after."  
  
The drumming stopped. The Marshals began blinking in sequence, then spoke again. "We must retrieve the Logically Replete Drone. You have been labeled as uncooperative. You have one minute to open the door or we will--"  
  
-----  
  
Tucker didn't wait for the rest of it. He hurried back to his team and said, "Is there any other way outta here? The Marshals think we're not cooperating and I don't wanna trust them not to try to hurt us."  
  
Reed was finally breathing and able to croak out, "That conduit that brings in the water. The LoRD used it to get to us. It's horizontal for most of its run. We could use the phase pistols to cut our way out once we're away from here."  
  
"Let's go." Tucker led the way to through the tube followed by Sato, Partridge, then Reed with all of them creeping on all fours.   
  
After traveling for fifty meters, Sato suddenly called a halt. "Wait, I need to change positions."  
  
Tucker didn't even ask why. Reed heard a satisfactory SMACK as Sato slapped Partridge, then he felt her take the position just ahead of him. As the other two started off again, Sato murmured to Reed, "If anyone's going to keep bumping into my bottom, it is NOT going to be Danny Partridge."  
  
Reed smiled and wished there were sufficient illumination to see the object in question. Instead, he was greeted by a distressing sound: rushing water. Reed rolled his eyes in frustration. Of course, why wouldn't events play out to feed his aquaphobia? Just bloody perfect!   
  
"The flow of the water is steady," said Sato as she cocked her head. Her words were confirmed as the water slowly rose under them. They kept moving in the damp and dark until the water reached their elbows.   
  
"Let's start cutting our way outta here, folks," said Tucker. The episode in this pipe reminded him of muggy summers in the cypress swamps. There was a reason he went into Starfleet and it was not to experience a hot, humid environment again.  
  
They cut through the tube just enough to survey the area. Reed tried to match his memory for the schematics of the station. "I see something that I think is McGregor's garden. If we go another hundred meters and cut through, we should be able to make it out."  
  
-----  
  
  
  
"Just call us the Soggy Bottom team," said Tucker as they arrived at the shuttle. He took the controls and immediately prepared for take off. "Looks like everything's working. I'm gonna plot a course to intercept Enterprise. Hoshi, see if you can raise 'em on the comm yet. Malcolm, take a peek behind us to make sure the Marshals aren't gonna follow us. Partridge, go take a nap. That's an order."  
  
"I'm surprised we didn't see any sign of the Marshals. I thought they would have locked down the station," said Sato as she began transmitting the hail.   
  
Reed checked the scanners on the shuttlepod and turned them to the station. After making a few adjustments, he reported, "I detect activity going toward the command center. The twelve Marshals are all heading for cell block five. I see! It looks like the walls of the cell block hid their storage compartment."  
  
"So they were hiding there all along? Why didn't they do their job once the LoRDs were released? Woulda save us a bunch of trouble." Tucker muttered.   
  
"The station is old. It could have just been a glitch," commented Sato. "Got them! Enterprise, this is Shuttlepod One..."  
  
~~~~~  
  
EPIPHANY   
  
"That's quite a little adventure you had, Trip," said Jonathan as he sat at dinner with his Chief Engineer and his Science Officer.  
  
"It sure was. But we did download some of the designs for hydroponics. In all honesty, though, Ensign Partridge is--well, he's a liability, Cap'n." Tucker shook his head as he remembered his frustration.  
  
"Ensign Partridge will soon be leaving Enterprise," said T'Pol in her usual calm voice. "Apparently his adventure with the chickens on the French cargo ship made him realize how much he missed working with poultry. He is being reassigned to the Poultry Development program at Starfleet Command."  
  
"You don't say," said Tucker. His sigh of relief was clearly audible.  
  
"Apparently he wrote home to his mother about how much he missed the chickens, so his stepfather pulled a few strings," said Archer with a smile. "We'll rendezvous with another Vulcan ship for his transfer home and our new crewman next month."  
  
Tucker began to enjoy his meal with gusto. Thankfully it was prime rib with no fowl in sight.  
  
----  
  
"I think I can release you now that I'm satisfied the receiver did no permanent damage, Ensign Sato," said Phlox with a satisfied smile. Of course, he also noticed that the Masqueran loco weed had disrupted her contraceptive. It was likely to be less effective than predicted, but that was only conjecture. No need to alarm the ensign.  
  
"Thank you, Doctor," responded Hoshi just before Malcolm entered the medical bay.  
  
"Doctor, if Hoshi is being released, I'd like to escort her to get some dinner," offered Malcolm. He seemed awfully fidgety to Hoshi, but perhaps that was a good sign.  
  
"Hoshi can decide for herself if she wants you to escort her to dinner, Malcolm," said Hoshi with a bit of censure in her tone.   
  
"Uh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, uh, will you have dinner with me?" asked Malcolm directly of Hoshi.  
  
"Only if we get it to take back to my quarters," said Hoshi.   
  
Phlox smiled to himself as they said their good-byes. Developmental biology was one his prime interests, so he had been hoping someone on board would soon provide him with an object for study. It appeared he might have found his best source for his observations.   
  
"Note: human gestation is forty weeks. Mark date appropriate if conception occurs tonight..."  
  
-----   
  
Malcolm and Hoshi enjoyed a quiet dinner together, then the moment Malcolm was dreading happened: the awkward silence that typically destroyed his relationships. Well, not this time. Malcolm cleared his throat, prayed that an alien invasion would soon disrupt the moment, and stumbled forward.  
  
"Hoshi, I have something in my pants for you--I mean in my pants pocket for you. Oh, here, just take it, please, before I butcher all chances of you thinking well of me," ended Malcolm. He was not going to thrust the box at her and leave, much as he was tempted to.  
  
Hoshi bit her lip to hold back a grin. Malcolm was so adorable when he lost his cool and she knew she was the only woman who could make him become a bumbling fool. She took the box he extended and opened it.  
  
Inside lay five golden charms in Japanese Kanji. They were the same symbols she had painted onto the frame of the picture she had given him for Christmas: faith, hope, trust, friendship. But Malcolm had added one more symbol to the collection, the symbol that held the center of the box: love.  
  
"Malcolm, do you know what this character means?" asked Hoshi. Please don't let it be an error, she thought.  
  
Malcolm had been watching her reaction to his gift with his intense blue eyes. His gaze didn't waver as he responded, "It's what I intended when I made the charm. The only mistake would be to not tell you that I love you, Hoshi," said Malcolm.   
  
Oh dear, now she was crying. He could see the tears starting to fall from those beautiful brown eyes. He never meant to make her cry!  
  
"Hoshi, it's alright, if you don't think of me that way, I--"  
  
"Shut up and kiss me, Malcolm," said Hoshi as she threw her arms around him.  
  
Malcolm kissed her hungrily, wanting to believe that this one dream could come true. When he released her, Hoshi didn't faint, swoon, or give any indication of losing consciousness.   
  
Instead she said, "I love you, Malcolm."  
  
-----  
  
That night, Malcolm had another odd dream. He and Hoshi were playing hide-and-seek with two little girls. He soon realized the children were their daughters. He jerked awake as another epiphany struck: the girls had been twins.   
  
"Hoshi, do twins run in your family?" he asked the form cuddled against his chest.  
  
Hoshi didn't answer. Instead, she rolled over and brought his arm around her like a blanket. Malcolm just nuzzled her hair and was soon asleep again, but he was holding his dream in his arms.  
  
*****  
  
Author Notes:  
  
Robots inspired by the Men from Mars (watch Eyedrops on TechTV). 25 pages. Written January 2, 2003 and posted at LD, so this sphere has nothing to do with the ones encountered in Season 3.  
  
No reviews are necessary. Thanks for keeping up with the story. 


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